The present invention relates to a buoyant water walker including a pair of water walker assemblies adapted to be attached to the feet of a prospective user in order to support the weight of the user in the water and enable him to propel himself along the water while in a standing position.
While numerous devices have previously been developed for enabling individuals to walk upon water, many of these devices have suffered from a lack of stability and/or mobility. In the previously developed devices, even where sufficient lateral stability was provided, a significant problem of rear slippage often occurred. Such a problem of rear slippage occurs when the individual user attempts to move one foot in a forward direction, the other foot and the attached assembly have a tendency to slip in a rearward direction. Such slippage, in addition to seriously retarding the forward movement, creates an inherent instability.
Two previously developed water walkers are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,112,504 issued to C. F. Carlton and 3,479,674 issued to R. L. Beymer. In the patent to Carlton, a water walker is illustrated which has a plurality of vanes, each of which is movable between an extended pendant propelling position and an elevated glide position. In the patent to Beymer, a water walker is provided in which water is taken into a hollow chamber due to a suction force created when the foot of the user is lifted and the water is subsequently expelled through the rear of the chamber thereby creating a force for urging the assembly in a forward direction.